


Escaping the Cult

by Maggieshawolexotic



Category: Naruto
Genre: Breaking Laws, Child Marriages, Cult AU, F/M, I don't know how far I'm going to get with this, Manipulation, Mentions of Sex, Mentions of execution, Multi, NejiTen - Freeform, Police investigation, drink the kool-aid, extremist religious and spiritual beliefs, inappropriate language, mentions of branding
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-15
Updated: 2019-04-09
Packaged: 2019-07-12 18:35:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,331
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16000964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maggieshawolexotic/pseuds/Maggieshawolexotic
Summary: The Prestigious Hyuga Clan's extremist ways have kept their people alive for generations. They've brought in the Uchiha Clan along with children with no names. They pray everyday, their children are matched together in holy matrimony, the rules are never to be broken. But it's time for the Caged Birds to be free and join their ancestors in the afterlife.





	1. Prologue

            “How can I help you, sweetheart?”

            “My name is Tenten and I need to talk to whoever’s in charge of the cult investigation.”

            The officer seated at the front desk looked up skeptically.  “You’re going to have to be a little more specific than “cult.”’

            Tenten’s heart began to race.  She was on a time limit.  She only had so much time before the leaders of the organization noticed her absence.  They were going to die.  Everyone she loved was going to die if she didn’t get these people to listen to her.

            “Please, just let me talk to whoever’s in charge.”  Tears began to prick at the corners of her eyes.  “Please.”

            “Listen hun.  I can’t help you--”

            “Then get me someone who can!”

            “Woah, woah, woah.  What’s going on here?” asked another cop coming out of one of the offices.

            The officer at the desk immediately perked up, “Good evening Detective Hatake.  I wasn’t aware you were still here.”

            “Had some paperwork to file,” he answered.  “Now, what can I help you with?”

            Tenten did her best to explain to the Detective why she was standing in the middle of a police station in the middle of the night.  “I—I need help.  The compound I live in…everyone’s going to die.  Please.  I need help.”

            “Come with me,” he said.  “Let’s see what we can do.”

            Detective Kakashi Hatake wasn’t in charge of the investigation, but he was well-versed in the cult he assumed Tenten was speaking of.  Her long white gown gave her away.  However, his partner, Tsunade was the real expert.

            Tenten took a seat on the couch in Kakashi’s office while he called his partner back into work.  He had a feeling this conversation was going to be extremely important for the status of their investigation.

            “How much longer do I have to wait?” she asked.  “I think something bad is going to happen.”

            “Tsunade should be in momentarily.  Is there anything you can tell me while we wait?  Like who you are and how you got involved with the Caged Birds?”

            “Is that what you’re calling them?”  Tenten almost laughed, “That name makes a lot of sense actually.  My name is Tenten.  I…For as long as I can remember I lived in the compound.  I don’t have parents, so they took me in.”

            The door to the office flew open to reveal a tall blond woman.  She and Kakashi exchanged a few quick words, then Tsunade took out a pen and a pad of paper.  She took a seat across from Tenten.  “My name is Tsunade.  Tenten, I understand you’re on a bit of a time crunch.  I promise you, we will do everything in our power to get you back to the compound in time, but we have a lot of questions for you and I need you to answer them to the best of your ability, okay?”

            Tenten nodded.  “Everyone’s going to die at sunrise.  Please.  I don’t know how police forces work outside of the compound, but you need to have people there.  And doctors.  And people to take in the refugees.  It’s bad.  It’s gotten really bad.”

            Kakashi stood up and exited the room.

            “He’s going to make sure there are people there to help, so don’t worry about your friends,” Tsunade said.  “Let’s get started, shall we?”


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

 

            For as long as she could remember, the compound was her home.  Everyday Tenten awoke at dawn and went out into the courtyard in her long, flowing white gown to greet the day in prayer.  She got down on her knees in front of the holy tree and thanked the ancestors and the gods for everything she had.  Quietly the other people that lived in her gated community would join her.  Neji would kneel beside her to her right, Lee to her left, and Hinata next to Neji.  Behind them, Sasuke and Sakura, and the rest of the Uchiha family took their places to pray.  They prayed until the leaders of the clan and the elders were finished or until the first birds began to chirp.  After prayer, the families would return to their homes for breakfast and their daily chores while the children were ushered off to school.

            The average villager didn’t do much with their days other than prayer and their daily chores, but the head household was bustling at all times of the day.  The workers cooked, cleaned, and waited on every call of the royal family.  The Hyuga children, along with the nameless children the head household took in, were educated in internal affairs, spirituality and religion, mathematics, science, and leadership.

            The Uchiha family was much like the Hyuga family; prestigious and royal, but they were not in charge like the Hyuga’s.  They were the second highest ranking in the hierarchy that is their community.  They were in charge of protection.  A “police force” of sorts.  Their education was the same as that of the Hyuga children, but instead of grooming them for ruling and carrying on the words of the ancestors, they were trained in law enforcement as well.

            The villagers had so much love for their traditions and ways of life, but the most respected and loved tradition they have is the matchmaking ceremony.  It is the one day a year everyone looks forward to.  The girls dream for the day when it is their turn to stand in front of the entire community to be matched to the man they will spend the rest of their lives with.  The boys do not dream for marriage, but their marriage marks the day they become men—the day they begin caring for and providing for a family of their own.  Once the children turn sixteen, the elders are guided by the Gods and the ancestors to assign the couples.  However, sometimes there are children that are not assigned a match, and have to wait for the next year to be married.    

            Tenten was sure that the ancestors were going to match her and Neji.  They were both going to be sixteen by the time the matchmaking ceremony came around, and she loved him, so they just had to be matched.  It was the only possible match in their age bracket that made sense.  She couldn’t be with Lee, he was her best friend, and they were both nameless children.  Nameless children were never matched together, and the other children in their village that were going to be sixteen were commoners.  Commoners were only matched with nameless or royal children during extenuating circumstances.

            “All rise,” spoke the village elders as they ended this morning’s prayers.  “Blessed be the tree, praise the ancestors, and forgive our sins Gods in heaven.”

            The community repeated the mantra and ended their prayer. 

            Tenten stood up and brushed the dirt off her white dress.  She stretched to release the tension from kneeling on the hard ground for the last hour.  She smiled at Lee.

            “Wasn’t that a great prayer today!?” Lee said.  “I feel rejuvenated and ready to take on the day!”

            Tenten giggled, then looked toward Neji.  He and Hinata were having a hushed conversation.  That concerned her a little bit because they hardly ever talked to each other let alone whisper.  Behind her, Sakura was giggling at something Sasuke whispered in her ear.  They were only fifteen, but they were matched early to solve the growing conflict between the Uchiha clan and the Haruno clan.  Their marriage forced the merchant family to finally follow the laws the police family enforced.  Ever since they were married, they were annoyingly in love, but everyone was envious.  Not all matches started off as strong as theirs.

            “Tenten, Lee, Neji, Hinata.”

            Everyone immediately halted their conversations to acknowledge their next leader. 

            “Good morning father,” Hinata spoke clearly.

            “Yes, good morning uncle,” Neji said.

            Hiashi smiled down at the children he raised, “all of you report to the classroom.  Your studies are scheduled to begin shortly.  The elders will be observing your progress today.”

            “Yes Lord Hiashi!” Lee said excitedly.

            The four of them filed into the main building of the compound.  Neji was quiet, which was unusual when Tenten was around. 

            “Are you okay?” she asked brushing her hand against his.

            His eyes lit up at the sound of her voice and brushed the tips of his fingers against hers.  It was a secret gesture they shared while they were in public; innocent enough so that others will not suspect the secret they share, but intimate enough to acknowledge their feelings out in the open.  “I’m fine.  Just…Never mind it’s not important.”

            “Mmm,” she replied.   She chose to not ask any more questions here.  She knew Neji was hiding something from her, he was easy to read when he was emotional about something.  And there was definitely some sort of emotion behind those eyes of his.  “Will I see you tonight?”

            “Yeah,” he replied quietly then pulled his hand away from hers.

 

            Their studies were nothing special.  At least once a month the elders would sit in on their lessons and observe their progress or lack-there-of.  Tenten was bored.  It was the same lesson about their inner politics that they had every day.  It was all for their tutors to show off to the elders anyway, it wasn’t _really_ about showing off their students progress. 

            Tenten blew a part of her bangs out of her face and huffed a sigh of frustration.

            “Shh,” Neji shushed her, “be respectful.”

            “But I’m bored!” she groaned a little too loud.  The elders immediately glared in her direction.  She bowed an apology and returned to her notes. 

            “Way to go,” Neji remarked sarcastically.

            She stuck out her tongue at him.

            Their studies were interrupted when Lord Hiashi, his wife, and Neji’s mother entered the room.  Tenten set down her pencil and nudged Neji to get his attention.  He looked up and immediately Tenten could tell that something was going on.  Neji averted his eyes from his family members and pretended to ignore their presence.

            “What’s wrong with you?” Tenten whispered.

            “It’s nothing. I’m fine.”

            The tutors finished up their final words and said, “Okay, we’ll be ending a little early today.  Remember you have an exam at the end of the week, make sure you’re preparing for that.”

            As the tutors left the room, four Hyuga servants entered the room.  Hiashi turned to them and said, “Will you please escort Tenten and Lee back to their rooms?  Neji, Hinata, you two will remain here.”

            Neji and Hinata both agreed to stay behind.  Tenten and Lee were both grabbed by the arms and pulled in the direction towards their rooms.  “What’s going on?” Tenten asked one of the men leading her down the hallway.

            “We cannot discuss it at this time.  Please be patient.  The elders will reveal their intentions in due time.”

            Tenten almost rolled her eyes.  They always said things like that anytime a child would ask a seemingly important question.  “Well, I can walk on my own.  I know how to get to my room,” Tenten pulled away from their grasp, “Your services are no longer needed at this time.”

            The Hyuga servants immediately released their grasp on Tenten and Lee and exited the wing of the compound where their bedrooms were located. 

            “What’s their problem?” Tenten mumbled to herself.

            “It could be about Neji’s father,” Lee wondered aloud.

            “Lee, do you think Hizashi is dead?”

            “I don’t know Tenten…he left the compound.  We shouldn’t even be speaking his name.  He betrayed us.”

            Tenten didn’t think that Hizashi could betray them.  He was the nicest man she had ever met.  She loved him.  He was the closest thing she ever had to a father.

            “But I can’t imagine any other reason for Hiashi, Lady Hyuga, and Hiyeri to all want to talk to Neji and Hinata together, at the same time,” Lee continued.

            Tenten didn’t buy it.  Sure, they were just speculating, but Lee was right.  They wouldn’t all want to speak to Hinata and Neji privately for any other reason.  But she doubted Lee’s speculations because no one had even mentioned Hiashi since the day he left.  He was gone.  He didn’t exist to them anymore.  He deserted the clan and that was the worst crime anyone could ever commit. 

            Even worse than a love affair.

 

            That night Tenten waited, like she always did for the knock at her door.  As she waited for time to tick by, and for the servants to turn in for the night, she wasted time by brushing out her long hair, checking over her homework, straightening out her bedroll.

            The knock came moments after the clock on her wall struck midnight.  She jumped to her feet and pulled open the door.  Before she could blink, the door was closed, and locked behind them and Neji’s lips were on hers.

            She held him for dear life because this was the only time they could be together like this.  Like lovers; which, if anyone asked, they were not because that would be taboo.  She felt Neji’s hand on her thigh, slowly hiking up her nightgown.  She ran her fingers through his hair, releasing the bandages tied tightly around his forehead.  She kissed him feverishly until she was panting for breath.  She coaxed him further into the room until her bedroll was under their feet.  She pulled him to the ground with her and allowed him to lay her back.

            She couldn’t wait any longer.  She begged with her eyes for him to go further.  They couldn’t speak of this, or else it would make it real, and what they did together after midnight behind her locked door, could never happen. 

            The affair had been going on for as long as Tenten could remember.  She loved him since the day she met him.  They were so young then.  She was so alone; new to the compound, but Neji was nice to her.  He talked to her and played with her.  His mother and father treated her like she was their own.  Neji was her best friend, and she loved him.  And He loved her.  The first time they kissed, they were up late talking.  It was in Neji’s room.  At first, they couldn’t believe what they had done.  This wasn’t allowed until they were married.  But they couldn’t stop.  So they kept going—every night they would wait for the servants to turn in for the night and they would sneak off to others bedroom.  Sometimes they did nothing but talk, other times they would only kiss, sometimes they would just sleep in each other’s arms, and very occasionally they would commit the second greatest act of betrayal to the clan.

            “If we’re caught we could be executed,” Neji warned shortly before the first time they committed the crime.

            “I don’t care.  I love you Neji.”

            “I don’t care either.”

            They had seen it before; people executed for having an affair.  It didn’t happen very often, but it happened enough for everyone in their community to know that it was absolutely not allowed, no matter the circumstances.  It didn’t matter if you were in love, because the ancestors didn’t make the match.

            It was just the two of them all night long.  Tenten stared at Neji while he slept beside her.  She hadn’t slept a wink, she was still reveling in all the love she had for the young man lying beside her.  She gentle traced the raised scars on his forehead from the brand the elders gave him when Hizashi left the commune.  Since then, not a single person left the community in fear that their child would be branded like Neji.

            Neji’s eyes fluttered open and she quickly retracted her hand.  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you,” she whispered.

            “What time is it?” he asked.

            Tenten twisted around to get a look at the clock on her wall.  “Just after two.”

            “Have you slept at all yet?”

            She shook her head.  “Too busy thinking I guess.”

            Neji rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, “what about?”

            Tenten wasn’t sure she should ask him about what happened when she and Lee were escorted out of their classroom, but she couldn’t get her mind off it.  She needed to know why Neji was acting so weird.  She needed to know if the only man she ever saw as a father figure was dead.  She needed to know why Neji and Hinata were having a hushed conversation after prayer.

            “Why were you and Hinata asked to stay behind after the lesson?”

            “You can’t be letting that keep you awake at night.”

            “Neji please tell me.  Is that why you were acting so strange?  What you and Hinata were talking about at prayer?”

            Neji didn’t say anything.  He sat up to put his shirt back on.

            “Are you leaving?”

            “I can’t talk about this with you.”

            “Why the hell not!?”

            “Keep your voice down!” Neji hissed.

            “Why won’t you tell me?  I’m concerned.  I just want to know if you’re okay.”

            He didn’t respond.

            “Is it about your father?”

            Neji froze at the mention of Hizashi.  “We can’t talk about that.”

            “Stop saying that!  Of course we can.  He’s your father!” Tenten began to raise her voice but then remembered that she needed to keep quiet or they could be found out.  They would certainly be executed if someone walked into her room to find Neji partially under Tenten’s covers, and Tenten without her nightgown.  She whispered her next words, “Hizashi is the closest thing I’ve ever had to a real family. Neji, I need to know if he’s dead.”

            “He isn’t dead…the last I heard, he was living in the city.”

            “Then what the hell is going on with your family!?”

            Neji stood and crossed the room to the door.  He unfastened the lock, then paused at the handle. 

            “Please tell me what’s going on.”

            “I can’t…I…we can’t be…” he sighed.  He needed to tell her.  He needed to make it real, but it definitely didn’t feel real.  But he couldn’t say it, not to her.  It would kill her.  It would break her heart…It already broke his.

            Tenten pulled on her nightgown and crossed the room to join Neji at the door.  She took his hand, “you know you can tell me anything, Neji.”

            “Hinata and I have been matched.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave a comment! I'd love to hear what you think about the first chapter! Hopefully I'll be able to get more content out in a reasonable amount of time.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

 

Tenten placed her hand firmly on the door to prevent Neji from leaving.  “What do you mean you and Hinata have been matched?  That doesn’t make any sense!  You’re related.  By blood!”

            Neji retreated back to Tenten’s bedroll and took a seat.  They were going to talk about this now, and extensively.   “Honestly, I don’t know why I didn’t think this was going to happen.  Lord and Lady Hyuga are cousins, my mom and dad are cousins, and my grandparents on both sides are cousins.”

            Tenten joined him on the bedroll and pulled her knees up to her chin.  “It doesn’t make any sense.”

            “It makes perfect sense.  It’s just not what we wanted.”

            “But how are you matched already?  You’re not going to be sixteen for another month.  And Hinata’s still fourteen!  I just…it goes against everything we believe in if you’re already matched.”

            Neji took her hand and replied, “I don’t get it either.  Especially since there isn’t any bad blood between my family and Hinata’s like there was between the Uchiha’s and the Haruno’s.  Their marriage was strictly political.  I’m not even sure what mine and Hinata’s marriage would be.”

            “A pure-blooded heir…”

            Neji froze. “Tenten, I--”

            It should have been obvious to him.  He was the smart one.  He could always figure out what people’s true intentions were.  He always knew the correct answers and solutions to problems political and educational alike.  But he was completely blindsided by this.  He didn’t want to marry Hinata.  He definitely didn’t want Hinata to have his children.  Something about it just seemed wrong.  But it was the same situation his parents, his aunt and uncle, and his grandparents had been in.  And his parents loved each other at some point, right?  At least they did before his father abandoned them for the ‘real world.’     

            “Stop, there’s nothing we can do,” Tenten trembled while she wiped a tear from her eyes.  “We’re not supposed to be together, remember?  If the elders and the ancestors think that you and Hinata are the best match then…then we have to let it happen.  Even if we don’t want it to.”

            “I don’t want this.”

            In that moment a thought so impure crossed her mind.  Tenten couldn’t possibly say this thought out loud.  It might get her killed.  She would lose everything.  But she needed to say this.  In this moment it seemed like the only viable option for them to remain together.

            “What if we leave?”

            “You can’t possibly think that.”

            She shrugged.  “I don’t know what else to do.”

            “Well leaving isn’t an option.  Our family’s here, all of our friends are here.”

            “ _You’re_ family’s here.  I don’t have a family remember?” Tenten snapped.  “I’m just a nameless child.”

            “Tenten stop, you’re being ridic--”

            “Don’t finish that sentence!”

             Neji snapped his mouth shut.  This wasn’t their fight at the moment.  They needed to talk this out like adults if they wanted to continue to pretend to be in an adult relationship. 

 

            “Is that when you decided to sneak out?” Tsunade asked Tenten.

            “No,” she replied while taking a deep, calming breath, “this was months ago.”

            Just then, Kakashi reentered the room.  “I called in chief Minato.  He’s going to come in and help us figure out how to go about this without alarming anyone within the commune.  If we act too carelessly they might kill everyone on the spot.”

            Tenten felt like she couldn’t breathe.  All of a sudden the dull ache in her head that she’s been having for the past few days turned into a dizzy spell.  No matter what she did everyone was going to die anyways.  She was watching the clock behind Tsunade’s head.  It was just after 2:30am.  Only a few hours before sunrise and everyone would be leaving their homes for prayer and never coming back.

            “Why aren’t you doing anything now!?” Tenten stood up way too fast and felt her head spin.  Her vision went black.  She saw stars and erimmediately fell to the ground.

            “Tenten!” Tsunade called out to her.  She caught her before she could hit the ground and lowered her slowly to the floor, careful not to hit her head on the hardwood beneath them. “Kakashi, she’s burning up.  Call and ambulance.”

            The entire ride to the hospital, Tenten was in and out of consciousness.  She’s never been sick before.  _What is going on?_   She could see Tsunade and Kakashi out of the corner of her eye riding with her in the ambulance.  There was a man hovering over her.  He was talking to her but she couldn’t hear what he was saying.  Tsunade held her hand.

            In the hospital everything happened so fast.  Tenten was carted away to have tests ran on why she passed out, why she was having difficulty breathing, and why her head hurt so badly.  Tsunade and Kakashi were unsure of what to do in this moment regarding the impending tragedy. 

            “What do we do Tsunade?” Kakashi asked.

            “Minato’s on his way here now.  We can’t make any decisions without him.”

            They waited for what felt like hours until Minato stepped into the emergency room’s waiting area.

            “Have we heard anything yet?” he asked taking a seat next to Tsunade.

            “No.  But we’re on a very small time limit Chief.  We need to act now or hundreds of people are going to be killed.”

            “I agree.  I spoke with Itachi Uchiha on the way here.  He agrees that we need to send the S.W.A.T. team in now.  And we can’t allow Tenten back in the compound.  Especially not now that she’s been admitted to the hospital.”

            Kakashi and Tsunade nodded. 

            “Did you ask Itachi if he knew Tenten?” Kakashi asked.  “It might help to have someone she knows here.”

            “I didn’t ask.  All I told him was that we had an insider tip us off.  He didn’t ask any further questions.”

            Tsunade stood and the other two followed.  “Call it in.”

            A nurse rounded the corner and stopped in front of the trio, “the three of you came in with Tenten, correct?”

            “You two go,” Tsunade said to Kakashi and Minato, “I’ll stay with Tenten until we need to go.”

            Kakashi and Minato left the E.R. to return to the police station and get ready for the infiltration. 

            “How is Tenten,” Tsunade turned her attention back to the nurse.

            “She’s okay.  She’s awake and talking which is a good sign, but she was poisoned with cyanide.  Do you have any idea how she could have come in contact?”

            “I don’t know.  She came to the station asking for help and she passed out in the middle of our conversation.”

            “Well, luckily she wasn’t exposed to very much of the toxin and we were able to catch it on time before it could cause any significant damage to her body.  Do you know if there’s a parent we can call for her?  We don’t have any medical records for her.”

            Tsunade couldn’t tell the nurse that Tenten had just come from the cult’s compound.  But she did know of two people Tenten might know from the real world.  “I’m not sure.  May I see her?  I can find out for you.”

            “Yes, absolutely.  You may follow me.”

            The nurse knocked softly at the door when they got to Tenten’s room and peaked in slowly.  “Tenten, sweetie, you have a visitor.”

            Tenten sat up slowly, careful not to knock away the oxygen mask over her face.  The nurse moved over to the bed and helped Tenten take off the oxygen mask and untangle her from all the wires and tubes.  The nurse also did a quick vitals check and asked how Tenten was feeling before leaving Tsunade alone with her.

            When the nurse was finally finished, Tsunade closed the door behind her and took a seat next to Tenten’s bed. 

            “Any idea how you could have come in contact with cyanide?” she asked Tenten.  

            Tenten shrugged, “no idea…the only thing that makes sense is that someone overheard me telling Lee or Neji what I heard the elders say about ‘ending our people.’”

            Tsunade took her hand and squeezed it for reassurance, “everything will turn out okay.  Obviously I can’t promise that everything will turn out how you want it, but I promise that I will keep you safe and I will do everything in my power to help the people you love.”

            “Thank you.”

            “Is there anyone I can call for you?  Maybe someone you know that lives outside of the compound?”

            Tenten looked up with a spark in her eye, “Yeah actually.  I can’t believe I didn’t think of it until now but, I know two people that left the compound a long time ago.  They’d want to help.  Their names are Hizashi Hyuga and Itachi Uchiha.”

            Tsunade smiled, “I actually know both of them.  They’ve both been very active in our investigation.  Everything we know about your people is information we got from them.”

            “Really!?  Can you call Hizashi?  Please!?” She glanced up at the clock on the wall.  “Oh my ancestors!  Its 4:30, everyone will be gathering for prayer soon!  We’re almost out of time!”

            “Tenten, don’t worry about that.  Kakashi and Chief Minato are on their way to the compound with the S.W.A.T. team now.  Right now you need to focus on getting better.  I’ll call Hizashi right now.”

            Tsunade pulled out her cell phone and texted Minato to call Itachi and send him to the hospital.  She then dialed Hizashi’s number; on the other end, Tenten could hear him pick up.

            “Tsunade?  What is it?”

            “Sorry to wake you Hizashi, but I have someone here that wants to talk to you.  Would you be able to come to Konoha Hospital right away?  Tenten would like to see you.”

            “Tenten!?”

            Tsunade handed Tenten the cell phone.  She took it cautiously, either like she wasn’t quite sure how to use a phone, or because she wasn’t quite sure that it was actually her foster father on the other end.

            “Hizashi?” she whispered.

            “Tenten!?  Oh my God.  Are you okay?  What’s going on?”

            “I’m okay, but everyone else is in trouble.  Will you please come to the hospital?”

            “I’m already on my way.  Can you tell me what’s going on right now, or should it wait until I get to the hospital?  My apartment is only a few blocks away.  I should be there in just a few minutes.”

            “Maybe it should wait until you get here.  It’s bad Hizashi.  Really bad.”  Tenten felt a tear roll down her cheek.  Tsunade noticed her distress and took hold of Tenten’s free hand. 

            Tenten handed Tsunade back her cell phone.  She texted Hizashi the number of Tenten’s room and together they waited for him to arrive. 

            There was a knock at the door minutes later and Tenten’s ears perked up.  “Hizashi,” she whispered.

            Tsunade allowed him inside the room.  For a moment all he could do was stare at her.  When Hizashi left the compound he was convinced that he would never see Neji, his wife, nor Tenten ever again.  What his father and the elders were doing was too despicable.  He had left because they were going to brand all the children in the compound so they could never leave…so they could have control over them forever.  Even if one day they decided that the lifestyle wasn’t for them.  He begged the elders not to do it.  He begged his wife to leave with him when the elders and his twin brother refused to listen to him.  He wanted to take Neji with him.  But some part of him just couldn’t take him away from his mother.  Neji would never forgive him for that.

            “Tenten…” He took a seat on the edge of her hospital bed and wrapped her in his arms.

            “I thought you were dead!” Tenten sobbed.  “I never thought I’d see you again!”

            “No Tenten, I’m okay.”  He released his hold on her and asked, “What’s going on.  How are you here?”

            Tenten explained to him how she was able to sneak out of the compound.  She told him that she overheard the elders talking about how they were going to kill everyone.  “They said at the end of prayer they’re going to free everyone from their life on earth or something.  Something about how the ancestors want it.  But I don’t think that’s true.  I think people are starting to not believe anymore.  At least, I don’t believe anymore.  And I don’t think that Lee does and I think that Neji’s been questioning everything and…and…”

            “Tenten, take a breath.  You’re okay.  You’re safe.  They can’t hurt you here.”

            “Hizashi…everything I’ve ever known was a lie,” she sobbed.

            “I know, I know…” he turned to Tsunade, “you have to let us go.  We have to be there for the raid, please Tsunade.  I have to see my son.  If they poisoned Tenten for knowing too much, they definitely have done something to Neji.  He’s too smart to not know their real plans.”

            “Neji knows everything.  I told him what I overheard, but he didn’t believe me.  He wants so badly to keep his faith.  After everything he’s been through…I don’t blame him for calling me a liar.”

            “Everything he’s been through?” Hizashi asked.

            “He’s been really angry since you left…he was sad at first but then…then they…they branded him.  They did it in the middle of the city for everyone to see.  They announced afterwards that if anyone else ever defected, they’d do the same thing to their children.  But…they also changed the match age since you left.  It used to be eighteen, right?  They changed it to sixteen and sometimes people are being matched as young as fourteen.  Sasuke and Sakura are married and she’s pregnant already.  And they told Neji and Hinata a few months ago that they were to be matched after Neji turned sixteen.”

            Hizashi couldn’t believe what he was hearing.  “You’re not branded too, are you?”

            “No.  They only did it to Neji…because you left...”

            Hizashi was in shock.  Everyone was quiet until Tsunade’s phone rang.

            “Yes Minato?” she asked when she picked up the phone, “No, Tenten hasn’t been discharged yet, I’ll talk to the doctor…yes we will be there as soon as we can.”

            “What is it, Tsunade?” Hizashi asked.

            “They’re about to infiltrate the compound.  They need me there and Minato wants the two of you and Itachi there as well, to help convince anyone that is afraid to leave.  Will you help us?”

            “Absolutely,” Hizashi said. “Tenten?”

            “Yes.  But, Hizashi, there’s something I need to tell you before…before…”

            “What is it Tenten, you can tell me anything.”  He held her hand to comfort her.

            “Neji and I, we’re together.  We have been for a while but nobody knows because we aren’t matched…it’s…we’ve committed treason…they might know—the elders I mean.”

            “That explains the cyanide poisoning.  The elders probably found out and that’s why you’ve been poisoned.  They’ve done it before.  A long time ago Hiashi was in love with a commoner, she was poisoned with cyanide and died.  You’re lucky to be alive Tenten.”

            “I’m going to talk to the doctor,” Tsunade announced.  “Be ready to leave when I get back.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Leave some kudos and a comment!


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

            “So this is the end for us?” Tenten asked.  She didn’t want to hear Neji’s answer.

            “Well, we can’t keep sneaking around after Hinata and I are married.”

            Tenten sighed.  She couldn’t cry about this anymore tonight, no matter how much she wanted to.  They didn’t know anything more about the situation other that the fact that Neji and Hinata will be matched eventually. 

            “It might not be this year’s matchmaking ceremony,” Neji told her.  “Hiashi and the elders just said that we were going to be matched.  They didn’t tell us when.  And like you said, Hinata’s still only fourteen, it could be a few years until we actually get married.”

            Tenten could hear the unease in Neji’s words when he spoke of marrying Hinata. 

            Tenten glanced toward the window, “the sun’s coming up.”

            “We’re not done talking.”

            “Would you rather get caught in my room and then executed?” she threatened.

            “We’re just talking.”  It was quiet for a moment before Neji continued.  “Tenten.  I don’t want to get married.”

            “To Hinata or at all?”

            “Both.  We’re just kids…I wish they didn’t change the match age.  It made way more sense for it to be eighteen.  Nobody was in favor of the elders changing it to sixteen, and I definitely can’t imagine anyone being in favor of their children being matched under special circumstances before they turn sixteen like Sasuke and Sakura.”

            “That’s why Itachi left, isn’t it?” Tenten asked.

            “That’s the rumor.  Sasuke won’t talk about it, but we’re not friends, so why would he?”

            “You need to leave before the servants come to wake us up.”  Tenten knew she was trying to avoid talking about this with Neji anymore today.  It was making her too upset to have a rational conversation.  It was hard to be rational at all when the person you loved was talking about marrying someone else, even if it was against his wishes.

            “Let them find me here.  We’re not doing anything and the door is unlocked.”

            Just then, there was a knock at the door.  The servant opened to door slowly and said “Tenten, it’s time to wake up—oh! There you are Neji, I was wondering where you might have gone when you weren’t in your room.  What’s going on?”

            “I had a bad dream is all,” Tenten responded quickly.  The tears she wiped away made her lie all the more convincing.  “Neji heard me crying and came to check on me.”

            “Are you okay now?” the servant asked.

            Tenten stood up from her bedroll and Neji followed.  “Yeah I’m fine.  We’ll be out to the courtyard in a minute.”

            “Take your time.”  The servant left.

            Neji glanced at Tenten, silently asking if she really was okay.          

            “No, but I will be…we just have to get through it.”

           

            Two months slipped by quietly.  In that time Neji and Tenten had stopped sneaking into each other’s rooms.  They hardly talked outside of school at all anymore.  It hurt too badly.  Neji had turned sixteen a month ago…it was bittersweet for the both of them, it only meant they were that much closer to the matching ceremony where Neji and Hinata would likely be chosen as suitable partners.  Something for purely selfish reasons neither she nor Neji wanted. 

            A few days ago the date of the next match ceremony was announced: January 16th.  It was being held much earlier than usual. Normally the match making ceremonies weren’t held until spring.  The elders were obviously planning something.  And knowing how their inner politics worked, they were probably trying to get Hinata pregnant as soon as possible.  Tenten wanted to puke.

            She was walking the streets alone that day.  She had planned on going to the market with Lee that morning, but when he said that Neji was coming with them, she quickly made up an excuse that she wasn’t feeling well and that they’d go to the market together another day.  As a resident of the head household, Tenten wasn’t allowed to walk the streets without an escort or a buddy.  But she just wanted to be alone with her thoughts, as far as possible from the presence of Hiashi, his father, and the elders. 

            She passed the park, where many of the compound’s children were playing.  One of the parents spotted her and gave her a disapproving look.  They were probably going to tattle on her for walking the streets alone.  She kept walking.

            Eventually she found herself at Sasuke and Sakura’s front door.  She knocked softly.  She hoped Sasuke was gone, she really just wanted to talk to Sakura alone. 

            “Tenten!” Sakura said when she opened the door, “what are you doing here?”

            “Do you have a couple minutes?  I really need to talk to someone that isn’t Lee or Neji for once…”

            Sakura immediately noticed the troubled look on Tenten’s face and allowed her inside.

            “Where’s Sasuke?” Tenten asked once she was inside the Uchiha’s house.

            “He’s doing something with his father.  Some kind of father-son bonding shit I don’t understand.”

            “Sounds masculine.”

            Sakura laughed.  “Yeah pretty much.”  The two of them moved into the kitchen where Sakura put a water kettle on to boil.  “Tea?”

            “Yes please,” Tenten replied.

            As they waiting for the water on the stove to boil, Tenten was quiet.  She didn’t know exactly how to ask for Sakura’s advice about her relationship with Neji.

            “So what did you want to talk about?” Sakura finally asked.

            Tenten thought for a minute then said, “I’m worried about the matching ceremony.”

            “Why?” Sakura asked, “That’s still five months away.”

            “I know, but…I’m worried about who I’ll be matched to,” Tenten lied.

            Sakura laughed.  “What, you don’t want to be matched with Neji?”

            “What do you mean by that?”

            “There’s literally no other match in your age bracket that makes more sense than you and Neji.”

            Tenten sighed.  She thought so too, but obviously the elders would rather have him impregnating his younger cousin.  “We had a fight.”

            “You and Neji?  What about?”

            Tenten shrugged.  “The match ceremony I guess.  Or more so, who we’re going to get matched with.”

            “Who do you think you’ll be matched with?  Lee?”

            “No…I can’t tell you.  But, we fought about it and now we haven’t talked since his birthday.”

            “That was over a month ago!”

            “Yeah, I know…and now I can’t stop avoiding him.”

            “Tenten…He’s your best friend, practically your brother--”

            “Oh God,” Tenten groaned and slammed her forehead on the kitchen table.  “Don’t say that!”

            “What?  What did I say!?”

            “Nothing just ignore me...” Tenten mumbled into the table.

            Sakura took the kettle off the stove and poured herself and Tenten a cup.  She placed one of the cups in front of Tenten and pushed the canister of teabags in front of her.  “I suggest chamomile,” Sakura said.

            “Tea isn’t going to be able to fix this mess.”

            “Okay, details aside,” Sakura began as she shuffled through the tea canister for the bag she wanted, “you and Neji are inseparable, and you shouldn’t let one fight get in the way of your friendship.  You’ve been through a lot together; his father, the branding…”

            “Yeah you’re right,” Tenten sighed.  “I should probably talk to him.”

            “Do you want some good news?” Sakura asked.

            “Yes please.”

            “I’m pregnant.”

            “WHAT!?  Since when!?”

            “We found out yesterday.  Only our parents know so far.”

            “Wow…Congratulations.  Is it a weird feeling?”

            “Honestly, it hasn’t really sunk in yet.  I’m happy about it, and I love Sasuke so much but it still feels like we’re so young.  Even though we’re married, it still feels like we’re committing a crime, you know?”

            Tenten knew all too well what Sakura was feeling.  Except, Sasuke and Sakura were not breaking the law.  She and Neji are, or were…were they even still together? 

            “I think the elders are going to match Neji with Hinata,” Tenten finally came out and said.

            “What makes you think that?” Sakura asked, confusion obvious in her eyes.

            “A lot of different things…and I don’t think they’re going to wait for Hinata to turn sixteen.”

            Sakura didn’t know what to say.  They were all disgusted with the idea of moving the match age from eighteen to sixteen.  She was even more disgusted with the idea of marrying Sasuke before either of them had even turned sixteen just to solve some sort of made up conflict between their two families, but this was a new kind of disgust; Hinata was fourteen, and Neji had _just_ turned sixteen, and they were closer blood relatives than either of their parents and grandparents are.  She understood the idea of a pureblooded heir, but Neji’s parents weren’t first cousins, and Hinata’s parents were somehow related by blood but nobody was really sure how, other than the fact that they were both Hyuga’s.  And Hinata and Neji were raised more like siblings than like cousins.

            “I hate this and there’s nothing anyone can do that wouldn’t be committing treason.”

            “Well, you don’t know for sure that they will be matched until the ceremony.  Even then, they might not be matched at all.  We won’t know until we know.”

            _No, we do know for sure.  Because they already told Neji and Hinata their fates._ “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

            “Is this what you and Neji fought about?  The possibility of an odd match?”

            “I know it seems silly.”  Tenten needed to lie to hide her secret, “I know it’s just a feeling, but it’s been making me physically sick and I don’t know what to do about it.  Neji won’t talk to me and Lee wouldn’t understand.”

            Sakura sighed.  “I’m not really sure how I can help you.”

            “It’s okay.  I just needed to talk about it.  There’s not really anything anyone can do about.  And like you said, we won’t know if it’ll happened until they are actually matched at the ceremony,” she lied.

            “Well I’m glad I could lend an ear.”

 

            Once Tenten returned home that day, Neji and Lee had beat her to the compound.  They were sitting on the porch outside of their wing when Tenten stepped back into the courtyard.  She sat next to Lee and helped herself to the sandwiches they we eating for lunch.

            “Tenten!” Lee said excitedly, “Are you feeling better?”

            “Yeah I’m fine.”

            “Where were you?” Neji asked.  “The servants have been looking for you since we got back.  They thought you were going to the market with us.”

            “I went to Sakura’s.”

            “Alone!?” Neji said angrily.

            “Yeah.”

            Lee looked back and forth between his two friends.  There was obvious tension between them.  Lee knew that they had an argument before Neji’s birthday, but he didn’t think they could still be holding a grudge against each other.

            “Tenten, you know you’re not supposed to be without an escort!”

            “Neji, relax.  I was at my friend’s house.”

            “Since when is Sakura your friend?”

            “Okay!” Lee interjected, “both of you need to stop!  Why is this even an argument?  The both of you go off alone all the time.  Why is it all of a sudden an issue for you Neji?”

            Neji did not answer Lee’s question.  Tenten continued to glare at her lover. 

            “You’re both being childish.”

            Tenten dramatically jumped off the small stoop of the porch and stormed off.  “I’m taking a walk.  Neither of you follow me.”

            Neji and Lee watched her walk off towards the wing of the compound where the elders held their meetings.  “Well?” Lee said, “You’re not going to go after her?”

            “She asked us not to.”

            Lee narrowed his eyes at his friend.

            Neji groaned, then stood up. “Fine!”  He chased after Tenten.

            Tenten made it all the way to the alleyway behind the mansion before Neji could grab her.  She stopped quickly as Neji grabbed her arm and pulled her back towards him. 

            “Is this still about the match ceremony?” Neji whispered in case any servants had seen him chasing after Tenten and decided to eavesdrop.

            “I told you not to follow me.”

            “Tenten…”

            “Yes.  It’s about that.”  She spun around to face him and immediately his hold on her arm relaxed and his fingers drifted towards hers.  She returned the gesture and linked their fingers together.

            “We have to accept it.”

            “Neji, I can’t.  I can’t watch you marry Hinata and raise a family with her.  I would die.”

            “If we’re careful we can still be together.”

            Tenten’s eyes narrowed at him.  “I will _not_ be your whore, Neji!”

            “I didn’t mean it that way.”

            Tenten wanted to raise her voice, but she couldn’t.  People were always listening in this place.  Always looking for reasons to punish or execute someone.  “Think about it Neji…eventually I’m going to get pregnant.  Then what?  I’ll be executed for having a child out of wedlock, and if I am married by then, we’d both be executed when the child has your eyes and not my husband’s.  It’s going to happen if we continue to see each other.  We can’t hide this forever.”

            “I love you,” he whispered.

            Tenten held his face between her hands and stared into his eyes.  “And I love you.  More than anything.”

            Neji kissed her gently. 

            Behind Tenten there was a rustling; someone must have been taking out the trash.  They pulled away quickly.

            “Oh! Lady Tenten, Lord Neji, there you are.  Hiashi’s been looking for you.”

            “Did I hear you say you found them?” another voice said.  It was Hiashi’s advisor.  “What are you two doing back here?  Tenten, where have you been all day?”

            Tenten was about to fess up to leaving the compound alone when Neji stepped in front of her.  “She was at Sasuke and Sakura’s.  We dropped her off there before Lee and I went to the market.”

            “Neji, you must not lie to me.  Multiple people saw her alone in the village.  Tenten, come with me.  You will be confined to your room for the rest of the day.”

            “Yes sir…” Tenten followed the advisor back into the mansion.  Neji followed behind.

            Once they reached the children’s wing, the advisor opened the bedroom door for Tenten and locked her inside.  This was nothing new to neither Tenten nor Neji.  Anytime a child of the compound broke the rules, this was their punishment.  Once the door was locked, the advisor stared down at Neji and said, “You need to be spending less time with Tenten and more time with Hinata.  I know that Tenten is your friend, but she is not the one you’re engaged to marry.”

            “I don’t want to marry Hinata,” Neji mumbled.

            “No one wants to marry who they are matched with, but you must.  You will learn to love Hinata the way you think you love Tenten.”

            For a moment Neji’s eyes widened.  He knew.  The advisor knew.

            The advisor left Neji at Tenten’s door.  Tenten heard him, she had to.  These doors weren’t sound proof.  He wanted to go to her.  She was probably freaking out, just like he was right now.  He reached for the doorknob, but stopped himself.  If he was seen trying to get into her room, it would only confirm any suspicions the advisor or any other servant may have about his and Tenten’s relationship. 

            Tenten watched Neji’s shadow from under the door.  She heard everything.  She held the door closed, “don’t come in.  Don’t come in.” she whispered to herself over and over in prayer.  She was freaking out.  Her heart hammered against her ribcage.  She thought she was going to have a panic attack.  “Please don’t try to come in.”

            She stared at the floor.  Neji’s shadow was still there.  She continued to whisper, “Go away, Neji.  Please Ancestors don’t let him come in.  Please.”

            Eventually Neji walked away.

            Tenten collapsed to the floor.  They were done.  She and Neji hadn’t been caught in the act exactly, but they were under suspicion.  They were never going to see each other outside of their regular routine ever again.  She cried.


End file.
